Responses & Opinions
- Dear Editor - A CRY for HELP?
- Dear Editor - Sophisticated? Buffalo?
- So Unhappy With Buffalo? Why not move?
- Response to the AIG Bailout article
- Kudos to Inside Buffalo
- Buffalo a Landlord?
March 09 - Dear Editor,
I am (name withheld by request), a publishing consultant located in the Northeast U.S. I stumbled upon your website on Friday after doing some research on Yahoo and finding insidebuffalo.net with an article containing search terms for which I was seeking information.
Although the article did not contain the precise information I was seeking, I spent the entire morning yesterday reading the content at insidebuffalo.net and the better part of the afternoon going back and forth between your website and the onsidebuffalo blog.
I am an outsider, way outside, thousands of miles away and have no known ties to Buffalo, Oklahoma. I was so enthralled with the initial website that I followed links to the blog where I was, unmistakably, caught up in the rhetoric from both sides.
I spent the evening with some colleagues where we discussed what I had stumbled upon, the websites and the issues as we saw them. We were in agreement that I should send an email to the editor and thus, did as agreed.
As an ultra-conservative, I side with you and those who expect certain things from their government including common sense.
My friends though, sympathize with the side reading negativity for the first time. The impression we got was that those against what is being put on the Internet are reading for the first times in their lives, negative comments about their friends, their city, and their electorate. They are, understandably, upset. Emotion is visibly driving their responses. Negativity goes on everywhere, maybe not in your smallish town but it is viewed almost everywhere else. I suggest they pick up any major newspaper or read any news site on the Internet. Negativity is part of life.
Most of my friends, as I, were impassioned by the insidebuffalo site and regarded it as a voice of reason in a sewer pond, the pun is intentional, of irrationality.
Others of us thought of the two websites as a means of rural deep-thinkers reaching out to the world, publicizing their plight as so many other small towns must existentially assert their seemingly meaningless existence. Philosophically we surmised, these websites about Buffalo, Oklahoma are both. They contain a large amount of reason but are also a cry for help.
As a unit, I and my colleagues wish Buffalo the very best but are compelled to take a stance with those with the facts on their side. Photos, minutes of meetings, reports and other similar documents logically support your website and onsidebuffalo.blogspot.com. We encourage you to keep doing what it is you are doing and be not dissuaded.
Dear Editor
Dear Editor:I was mailed a copy of your first edition of Inside Buffalo the Magazine by a friend who resides in Buffalo.
I have since then downloaded your e-book issues. They’re very nicely done and well planned.
But, where are all of the fabulous ads that were included in your first edition debut? I don't see any ads!
Please don't tell me that Buffalo’s local business owners allowed someone to convince them to cease advertising or else lose future business! No ONE person can prevent thousands of other people from shopping in your store or benefiting from your services. If, in fact, this is the reason I see no ads, then - PLEASE- wake up Buffalo business owners! During hard economic times as this, an investment in advertising is one of the best business decisions you can make. You will see a return on your investment much sooner than you might think.
The ads in the first edition of Inside Buffalo were seen by thousands of people. Buffalo looked quite uptown and sophisticated!
As I viewed these ads, I felt a sense of pride for the town I had moved away from when young. I reflected on decades past and how Buffalo used to be. In the fifties and sixties, the town thrived. Most businesses advertised in the Harper County Journal. Everyone reported what was going on. Communication is such a great catalyst. There was always something going on downtown - shopping, going to the movies, or stopping by the barber shop. Kids hung out in the window of the Drug Store and read comic books while drinking a coke and eating a candy bar. Businesses thrived and prospered. Over a span of three decades, Buffalo's population declined sharply, while many of us moved away for better opportunities. Buildings became empty as businesses closed, the Theatre burned, rebuilt and closed again, the stop light came down, and beautiful, once stately homes, fell apart.
In Buffalo, opportunities are endless as many people, young and old, can live the American dream and actually own his/her own business! Inside Buffalo did a great job of showcasing many of Buffalo's businesses. I say Bravo on a job well done! Onward!
One last thought - I don't know of any publication that I read that I agree with everything written in that publication. But, if a publication is read by thousands of people, then that's where I want to promote my business! Keep plugging away.
Name Witheld
A reader emailed us this:
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:13 PM
Subject: InsideBuffalo.net email
>
> From: s........@sbcglobal.net
>
> __________(name removed substituted with the name "Bob")
> If you are so unhappy with Buffalo, why don\'t you move?
>
________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
We Responded:
Hi Bob!
Thanks for your email.
Did you read somewhere that we are "so unhappy with Buffalo"?
Did you ever hear me say that I was "so unhappy with Buffalo"?
Do you ever watch Television, Bob?
Do you ever read newspapers or news magazines, Bob?
See, we live in a Free society, one which allows news media and people in general to question their government and my elected official's decisions as well as the freedom to write about it.
Thank the good Lord for those freedoms Bob, because without them, you couldn't have emailed Inside Buffalo with such an insightful question.
Every news reporter or publisher has a job to do to the best of that person's ability - or he/she need not be involved with the media.
I wonder, Bob, have you ever emailed any investigative reporter anywhere in the world and asked them the same question about where they are?
Have you considered writing to CNN's Glen Beck (now with FOX) and asking him if he's so unhappy with the United States why doesn't he just move?
How about any news reporter on ABC? CBS? MSNBC, CNBC? or any other network choosing to report facts and present an opinion?
Have you ever emailed Fox's Bill O'Reilly and asked him the same question?
They do the same thing as I do - given, they do so on a much grander scale effecting a much larger demographic.
Whether I am unhappy with Buffalo is simply irrelevant.
I'm sure your question is rhetorical in a sense, however - to answer it: I'm not unhappy with 'Buffalo'.
I'm not always happy with decisions Buffalo's elected officials make, nor am I happy with a handful of individuals, as they, I'm positive, are not happy with Inside Buffalo Magazine, but that is the case all over America in many towns and cities with many people. There are numerous surveys to prove my position as factual.
I won't continue to do business here, employ a number of people, contribute to the coffers of the Town, and continue to pay taxes, when, in my opinion, my tax dollars and substantial monetary contributions to the Town are being frivolously tossed around, misspent, and irresponsibly mishandled and too, because of the closed-mindedness of uninformed people reacting. Now if and when things change - that's a different time and story.
I ask, Bob, have you contributed over a $1,000,000.00 dollars to the economy of your community or Town?
Have you employed upwards of 20 people and paid payroll of over $350,000.00 annually to people in your Town?
(We have maintained a payroll in Buffalo of over $350,000.00 annually for the last 3 years)
Have you, Bob, ever paid over $30,000.00 in sales taxes to your State, Town, or County? Or have you ever paid, not a single thousand, rather, thousands and thousands of dollars in property and ad valorem taxes yearly in your Town?
Inside Buffalo not only has the God and government-given right to report the news and offer opinion, we have earned the right within the community of Buffalo to do so with our monetary contributions and we love the right we have to reside wherever we wish.
Isn't America great?!
I relish the fact that you have emailed Inside Buffalo because as the website says: on: http://www.insidebuffalo.net/index-1.php
Inside Buffalo Magazine Serves a Purpose
The purpose of this website and the print version of Inside Buffalo is to accomplish two things:
1- Accountability
Inside Buffalo magazine chooses to be the means wherein the people will hold the Town of Buffalo and it's officials accountable in hopes of improving the quality of life while preserving the sanctity of the spirit of the people who founded Northwest Oklahoma's Town of Buffalo.
Think about this Bob: The website or magazine got you thinking and reacting didn't it? In hopes of improving the quality of Life in Buffalo? I would hope so.
Then my job is done and it's been done well.
Sincerely, Thank you for your opinion.
Inside Buffalo Magazine
{Granted, taxes paid, money spent, or economic impact gives no one person more 'rights' than another. One person = one vote. The point being Bob, as you alluded to in your response, wherein you would not give Inside Buffalo permission to print, there was reference to a small number of people who do not agree with Inside Buffalo Magazine's editor or this website. On the other hand, there are hundreds that do and we receive emails regularly (over 250) in support of what we are doing. Therefore, Inside Buffalo then, as evidenced, on occasion speaks for hundreds of Buffalo residents. In a Town of 1,200 people, having hundreds endorse this magazine is voluminous. These are hundreds of persons who, although very interested in what is best for Buffalo, can't find the time, may not have the courage, or lack the will to speak up and voice their opinion, many for fear of ramifications such as the publisher of this magazine and website have endured. (We're not complaining. We know what we got ourselves into and expected reprisals of sorts.) They have asked that Inside Buffalo be their voice. Many of these Buffalo Oklahoma citizens are contributors to the magazine and even more are consulted as to the content herein. These people 'have a voice', simply expressing it through this magazine. Also, Bob, you pointed out that we don't publish facts. We beg to differ with you Bob and if you were at the Town Board meetings you would see that we publish exactly the facts (along with a healthy dose of opinion) and maintain a record of either video, audio or both to back it up.}
Regarding the AIG bailout article:
A reader shared this with Inside Buffalo
You stated the following:
"I get super, super cheap rent (0.31cents a square foot when the going rate is $3-4.00) and I can dump the building they've remodeled back on the Town of Buffalo when I'm done with the doctor's contract."
The 31 cents a square foot is a monthly rate which is equal to $3.72 per foot annual rent of which your going rate is based ($3-4.00).
Editor's Response: No, the rate quoted IS *monthly.
This mathematical oversite appears deceptive and should be corrected.
Editor's Response: There was no deceptiveness intended, we stand behind what was written.
*In all fairness, Inside Buffalo does not wish to infer that anything underhanded or that favoritism played into the lease between the hospital and the Town. The above reader subsequently presented Inside Buffalo with extremely accurate local data, therefore, this figure has been edited in the article itself based on said data relative to Oklahoma and commercial office rates on a monthly basis. The going rate has been edited to read: $1.20-1.60. It's still a VERY good deal and once again, the hopital should be commended for negotiating a very, very good lease agreement.
*Normally, the rate quoted in commercial real estate reflects the amount of rent paid per square foot. Generally square foot prices are quoted on a monthly basis, however, there are markets where rents are quoted on an annual basis. For example, a $36.00 per square foot annual rate is equal to $3.00 per square foot when expressed as a monthly rate. While this is simple math, it can come as a bit of a shock when you hear a rate quoted for one space as $3.00 per square foot and another as $36.00. Commercial office leasing is generally quoted as an annual rate, while industrial and retail are typically stated as monthly rates. The going rate for commercial office space is typically $3-4.00 a square foot monthly depending on where the real estate is located. It may not be the rate in Buffalo, however, virtually no real estate in Buffalo is on par with National real estate values and we openly acknowledge this.
Kudos to Inside Buffalo
Another reader wrote:
Late Supreme Court Justice Bobert H. Jackson said,"It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error"
I can't imagine a better quote to go with what Inside Buffalo is all about!
I really like the potential that Inside Buffalo has to offer when it comes to informing everyone in this community. I feel there has been a lack of interest in local government issues and who is to blame for it can be shared among ourselves. Civic leaders being less than forthcoming and afraid to involve everyone possible.
Citizens being disinterested and frustrated, feeling like it is of no use to try anymore.
Based on what has been said these last few days it is quite apparent that everyone has strong convictions. Inside Buffalo will be the place to check in on issues and to become more familiar with what is going on around us. People will be able to check in on topics at their liesure. Hopefully their thoughts will be shared on this website also. Will there be this oportunity? I hope so. I see tremendous opportunities for good positive things to happen through Inside Buffalo.
There is a lot of energy being created out there because of Inside Buffalo. Let's take this energy and do positive things with it. Thanks, Inside Buffalo, for the chance to make an impact on the betterment of this community.
Editor's Note: This reader questions if there will be an opportunity for other's thoughts to be shared on this website. Placing his/her email content herein answers that question.
Buffalo a Landlord?
Yet another reader wrote:
Time and again I heard buffalo town board members over the last few years long before the guy putting out this web sight ever came to this town say how they hated being messing with propertys and rent collection and being a landlord. The town sold off buildings for nearly nothing, a price of somewhere around 9,000 for a corner building, the old bank building comes to mind. because they didn’t want to have to deal with all the pBoblems of being a landlord. One board member told me the best thing they ever did was unload those propertys. Here is the town doing what it is they didn’t want to do all over again. Im glad theres a new doctor coming to town but the town shouldnt a done what they done again. Now they are a landlord again. It’s a smart thing to bring in a new doctor because of the money the hospital take in with a new doctor and maybe he will get them out of the red.
Editor's Note: We don't know if the hospital is in the red or not. We agree, it is a very smart thing to do, that is, bring in a doctor. A slight correction though - The doctor is not male, We're fairly confident she's happy to be a female doctor.
